The present invention relates to a device used to hollow out or scoop out the center of a half carrot, either raw or partially cooked. It also allows for the filling of mixed ingredients to form of gourmet dish, a snack dish, etc. Kitchen devices have been around for decades, comprise a handle and blade, or other cutting edge, used to peel or hollow out vegetables or fruits. Kitchen devices maintain their popularity for many reasons, including their convenience, portability, and ability to prepare foods in a unique way. However, most kitchen appliances are geared toward specific functions and uses.
The need to prepare food products in a variety of aesthetically pleasing ways has become more and more prevalent in today's society. The ability to create a unique food product presents several problems. One problem encountered in the use of kitchen devices, is the ability to create certain shapes or indentations in the food product. Food preparation prior to consumption has a variety requirements (to peel clean, hollow out in dispose of excess vegetable matter, for example). To prepare a vegetable, or other food item, a person has to use a vegetable parer, slicer or corer. However, none of these kitchen utensils are designed to hollow out or scoop out the center of a half carrot, either raw or partially cooked.
Many prior attempts have been made to alleviate the problems associated with typical kitchen devices designed to make specialty food products. But no kitchen devices are designed to scoop out the center of the carrot, while allowing the excess vegetable material to escape through the center of the blade.
For example, one typical kitchen device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 129,966 (Kimber) discloses an apparatus that is designed to act as a knife for coring apples, paring fruit and vegetables, removing the eyes from potatoes and consists of a knife blade and an adjustable gage. However, this complicated and costly.
U.S. Pat. No. 414,856 (Brock) discloses a paring device with a pointed like scoop type blade of various shapes, with sharpened surfaces. This pointed like scoop is described as an oblique end of the tube one of which is used as a corer of apples. This invention suffers from the fact that the longitudinal opening is limited in size and its use is limited as a paring device used to only peel the skin of a vegetable.
Another cutting instrument is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 712,792 (Heimerdinger). This is a knife like device with the blade having oppositely disposed cutting edges. This instrument has a protective shield over the cutting edge to allow for cutting in a pulling or pushing fashion. This device has, however, a limited amount of cutting surface area as the blades are situated to scrape along the surface of the subject region and are not situated to hollow out an area. Because of its complexity, this device is costly to produce.
U.S. Pat. No. 339,542 (Gates) teaches a multifunctional tool which contains a blade for removing the core from an apple with a curved end. This invention contains a coring-ring that includes cutting edges upon one or both sides of the ring. This device presents a problem in that the blade is positioned at the end of the handle at an angle that is not conducive for hallowing out a carrot.
Thus it is readily apparent that there is a longfelt need for a vegetable-scooping device used to hollow out or scoop out the center of a half carrot, either raw or partially cooked.